


You Are My Sunshine

by orphan_account



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, He Understands Feelings and Communicating Them Too Well, Hurt/Comfort, I Lost Inspiration TBH, I Tried To Include The Song And Themes but Because This Isn't a Full-Length Fic it Was Hard to Do, I Would Love It If Someone Submitted A BETTER Ending Of Some Sort, Ironspider - Freeform, It's Decent At the Beginning But Poorly Finished, M/M, Men in love, OOC Tony, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter is Legal, Peter is Lowkey A Twink, Peter-centric, SpiderIron - Freeform, This is Honestly Just A Mashup of Comic and MCU, You Are My Sunshine, overly tagged, thank you for reading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 11:04:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8203376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Tony had his fair share of nightmares, and Peter had always been there for him. Gently stroking Tony’s back as he cried in the younger man’s chest, even singing to him softly sometimes, Peter seemed to always know what to do."But what happens when Peter struggles? Tony has no clue how to fix things for his sunshine, but he'll do his best.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My first time writing IronSpider, so please be gentle! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is welcome! As I said in the tags, I know Tony is OOC. I'm not the best at writing him myself, but I love his character and wish he wasn't just used as a jerkwad plot device like he is sometimes. Thanks for reading!

Tony had his fair share of nightmares, and Peter had always been there for him. Gently stroking Tony’s back as he cried in the younger man’s chest, even singing to him softly sometimes, Peter seemed to always know what to do.

Tony was sleeping peacefully when it happened. Peter screamed out Ben’s name, like it was happening all over again, as he sat straight up, breathless. He sobbed into his hands, forgetting the older man in the bed beside him as he cried. “It's all my fault… My fault, him and him and him and her… My fault, my fault..” he whispered it to himself in a broken voice, almost to remind himself that he didn't really deserve to be alive after so many people had died because of him.

“Peter?” Tony asked in a groggy voice, not realizing what was happening. He rubbed at his eyes, noticing how Peter’s body shook. He hadn't really given much thought to the fact that Peter had seen a lot of deaths. He'd heard of Spider-Man’s infamous guilt complex, but it had slipped his mind when he'd been falling for the shy-yet-charismatic Peter Parker. “Peter, baby, come here..”

“No, no, no… My fault, don't deserve to be alive..My fault...All my fault, they'd still be here..” Peter mumbles to himself through his tears.

Tony decided to take action and pulled the younger man to his chest, wrapping his strong, tan arms around the twink-ish hero. Don’t deserve to be alive? God, Peter was worse off than Tony had thought.

“Fuck, Peter, I'm here now..” Tony said quietly, unsure of what to do. Peter was the one who was best at this. He was always able to soothe him out of his misery, at least temporarily. It made Tony feel awful that he couldn't fix things for his sunshine. He tried to do what Peter did for him, rubbing his back carefully and even humming a soft lullaby. It didn't feel the same.. There wasn't the same precision, the same- Tony honestly didn't know how to describe it. Peter was there. Radiant without even trying. Sweet and perfect, like warm honey. Tony’s own personal ray of sunshine.

Peter continued to shake, but seemed more aware of himself and his surroundings, a little less lost in emotion. His tears continued to fall, and his breaths were uneven. He was improving, but not at the scale Tony did. He tried again, tracing patterns on Peter’s back through the shirt. The tension in Peter’s back had eased a bit, but it was nothing like he was able to do for Tony.

“You are my sunshine,” Tony began in a tired, broken singing voice. Peter’s quiet yet somehow wonderful singing always made him feel better, but Tony was not a singer at all. But maybe it would help? “..My only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are gray.. You'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away..”

Peter’s breaths were shaky, but as he sniffled, his tears stopped forming. Maybe Tony had cracked the code? Was his mediocre singing voice the key to helping his angel, his sunshine, through hard times? He'd have to test it out if it was true… Not that he wanted Peter to have another nightmare, or to ever cry again in his life (out of sorrow, that is), but if it were to happen again, Tony could investigate.

In the morning, Peter was still curled into Tony’s side, the older man’s arms wrapped protectively around him. The first few rays of light were shining through the slight space between the curtains. Tony always woke up first, but enjoyed cuddling with the spider, and keeping the brunet warm.

Peter sat up and stretched, rubbing at his crusty, slightly-sore eyes.

“Are you alright?” Tony asked.

“‘M fine,” Peter replied, sliding out of the bed and stretching more. Tony watched as Peter wandered to the kitchen. How could he get Peter to open up more? He hadn't missed the fact that his wonderful boyfriend was emotionally closed-off. It wasn't that he didn't have plenty of love to give, or that he wasn't happy.. But Peter definitely wasn't completely open. Tony hadn't really invested this much of himself into anyone before, and to think that Peter was hurting and not telling him.. Well, it bothered him.

“Peter, we need to talk,” Tony said as he entered the kitchen.

“We really don't. It's fine, I've dealt with it on my own long enough to know I'm fine. It's not like you haven't dealt with worse.” Peter poured some coffee for himself and for Tony, and Tony just marveled at the beauty that was Peter Parker. In black boxer briefs and one of Tony’s old work shirts that seemed to swallow the shorter boy, Peter was astounding Tony before he'd even had breakfast and brushed his teeth.

Tony had to admit that he often forgot how strong Peter was, everything he's dealt with.. He forgets that the boy with the shimmering hazel eyes and messy brown hair, with freckles on his cheeks and scattered on his body like constellations, is also a man. Spider-Man. He's got lithe muscles, like a gymnast, but he's probably strong enough to pick Tony up and throw him. Tony watched as Peter sipped his coffee, thinking about just how perfect Peter was.

“Y-your coffee’s going to get cold.” Peter was a bit bashful, Tony’s staring often did that.

“Oh. Right. Thank you,” Tony snapped out of his thoughts. “It doesn't matter what I've been through, you know. I want to be here for you. I want to do things for you. Protect you. God, Peter, I just want you safe, and happy, and.. I just wish I could do for you what you've done for me, Sunshine.”

“You're sappy when you're tired. Drink up,” Peter teased, avoiding the subject as he gestured to the coffee cup.

“Peter…” Tony said, trailing off. He kept forgetting Peter’s strength, as well as his stubbornness, and his intelligence. To say that Peter was smart was an understatement. And while Tony was also intelligent, Peter could change the subject completely if he played his cards right, and Tony wouldn't even realize what had happened. Peter was.. Tony didn’t know how to describe it. He wasn't exactly Tony’s weakness, because he gave him so much strength, but in a way he still was a soft spot.

“What? You can't just swoop in and save me from everything! I've got issues, but I'm dealing with them alone because that's what I do. So just drop it, okay?” Peter snapped, finishing his coffee and rinsing out the mug, leaving it in the sink. He stalked off to their shared room, most likely to get ready. It’s not like you haven't dealt with worse, Peter had said. I’m dealing with them alone because that's what I do.

It made Tony’s chest ache.

It was three days later when it happened again. This time Tony was on a business trip, but he'd asked JARVIS to monitor Peter, and to alert Tony if he had any nightmares or was otherwise in distress.

“Gwen, Gwen!” Peter screamed, and it sounded animalistic and wounded. He shook violently, curling in on himself as he cried. “All gone, all gone.. My fault, my fault..”

Tony was quickly able to take over the house servers and talk to Peter through the speakers normally reserved for JARVIS.

“Peter…” He said softly, and Peter looked up and around, his hazel eyes rimmed with red and glistening with tears.

“T-tony?” Peter’s voice was raw, and for all the wrong reasons. It was time for Tony to test his hypothesis.

“You are my sunshine..” he started, and Peter’s shoulders visibly relaxed from their hunched position. “..my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you.. Please don't take my sunshine away.” Peter was curled up still, but now he was laying down that way, and his breathing had relaxed. “I love you, Peter.”

“You too, Tony..” Peter mumbled, and Tony barely heard it. But he did.

When Tony got back, he was on Peter like white on a Trump supporter. Hugs, kisses, everything. He hated leaving his sunshine alone before, but now it was something he almost couldn't bear to do. Peter smiled his radiant smile, hazel eyes glittering in the afternoon light. Tony wondered how Peter built himself up from choking sobs into this… being. He understood, but he hadn't realized just how similar Peter was to him.

The next time Peter had a nightmare, Tony had an idea. Peter had done this for him as well, but it hadn't crossed his mind.

“What do you dream about that gets you like this?”

“Different things. Usually Gwen,” Peter’s throat sounded even more sore when he said her name. “I was too late… I felt her neck- I felt it snap. If she hadn't known I was Spider-Man, it never would've happened. If she hadn't known me, it never would've happened. So many people end up dead or hurt, and what's the common factor? Me.”

“Sunshine.. You can't blame yourself for that. Any of that. You did what you could.”

“Did I?” It was whispered, almost as though Peter was afraid to ask.

“Yes, Peter, baby, please, listen. You did everything you could. And you do so much now. You've saved more lives than I can count, and you've only made a few mistakes. That's more than I can say for myself or most of the other Avengers.”

Peter didn't say anything, and Tony decided to be straightforward and ask.

“Do you want me to sing to you?”

“Y-yes.. If you want to..” Peter was used to giving and giving and giving, Tony knew that. It was cute how he responded when Tony offered him something he really wanted. So, Tony sang the song he always sang, and Peter fell asleep.

A week later, something happened. It was a switch in Peter just turned off. Tony noticed it the second the younger woke up. It was Peter, but different.

After breakfast, Peter left with a soft: “I love you, bye.”

He returned an hour later looking even more distressed, and at lunch, Tony asked him about it.

“Sunshine, what's up? You've been down all day.”

“Uncle Ben’s death anniversary. I was at the cemetery,” Peter said blankly, staring at his still full plate. His face was pallid. “I'm not hungry, sorry for wasting the food.” And with that he left the table, leaving for… Well, Tony didn't exactly know.

He later found the young man in the lab, tinkering with a microscope and some samples.

“Talk about a role reversal!” Tony teased. “I’m supposed to be the one overworking myself in the lab to avoid emotions.” Peter managed a small smile at Tony’s attempt to lighten the mood. “I'm sorry about Ben, Peter. Do you wanna tell me about him? He's important to you, and that means he's important to me.” Tony pulled up a stool and Peter looked up from the eyepiece.

“Well.. He was there for me, as a kid. Really thought I could do something. He was a bit strict, but he just wanted me to fulfill my potential. He- He always swore to pro-protect me..” Peter trailed off for a moment, taking a deep breath. Tony carefully touched his shoulder to let him know he's still there, still listening, and Peter’s wet hazel eyes met his deep brown ones before he continued. “..and I- I failed to protect him. When he died, he told me, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ He inspired me to do good in my life,” Peter finished quickly.

“He sounds like a great man..” Tony replied, interlocking his fingers with Peter’s, which were resting on the table.

“He was..” Peter’s hand slowly slipped from Tony’s, and he wandered out of the lab. Tony was stuck to his seat, frozen in thought. What had happened to his sweet little sunshine?

“Peter, please talk to me.. What’s bothering you so much? You’ve been so upset lately, and I’m worried,” Tony confessed.

“I guess.. I feel like you've done all these things for me: given me a sense of direction, loved me, shared your home and your heart with me, and I… I just sit here and cry over something that happened so long ago. I just sit here and complain. I just sit here and feel like I don't fucking deserve anything you've done for me, because you do so much, and I'm still insecure and- and- I just don't know anymore.. Depressed? That sounds so hokey..”

Tony gaped.

“Peter, it's okay to be unhappy. It doesn't matter what material things you have. I'm unhappy sometimes, but we love each other and we have this house! It's the same thing, but you don't judge me for being unhappy! I'm here for you just like you're here for me, Peter. Don't hold yourself to a higher standard than you do me.”

“B-but..”

“Peter, just stop. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you can't keep tearing yourself down like this. It's okay to have problems, you're still the most beautiful man I've ever met. You bring so much light to my life, I call you Sunshine for a reason.." 

"I.. I love you, Tony." 

"I know. Love you too, Petey." You

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought!


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